You Only Live Twice
by PottyHead
Summary: What happens when you mess with time?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**** – **_**"The hottest love has the coldest end" – Socrates.**_

I hesitated at the door, unsure of what I was going to say. Who really ever knew what to say in these situations, I always felt awkward, I would just sit there quietly without saying a word. I would nod when I had to, look sympathetic when necessary, and occasionally talk, a few consoling words when it was needed. But other than that I just didn't know what do. What should I say?

'I'm sorry Voldemort just killed the person you were closest to, do you want to go get some ice cream?'

Somehow I didn't really think that was going to work.

I stood outside the room he was staying in in the Leaky Cauldron, staring at the big wooden door playing the past fortnight's events over and over in my mind.

It had been just two weeks ago that we stood with each other in the Department of Mysteries against Voldemort's Death Eaters. I felt for sure that they were going to kill every single one of us. I went to that battle, stood alongside my friends, ready to die with them just as they were doing for me, just we were all doing for each other. I couldn't believe we made it out of there alive. All of us except...Sirius. How could I face Harry now, how could I talk to him, how could I explain?

We'd fought together until the end, we'd saved the prophecy from being heard by Voldemort. Harry had explained to us afterwards the prophecy that Dumbledore had shown him after the battle, how Dumbledore had told him that Harry would eventually have to kill Voldemort. Or he would have to be killed by Voldemort.

None of us could get over that last part. Since school had finished Harry had locked himself away in a room in the Leaky Cauldron, not speaking to anyone. He had been home to his aunt and uncle's to collect some things and then come here. We all guessed that he went back to his aunt and uncles occasionally so that they wouldn't think he wasn't there. From what we knew his presence went unnoticed by the Dursleys which meant he would be able to risk hiding away for a short while before making an appearance for a day or two and then coming back again. We tried to contact him, but with no luck. We needed to know that he was okay, that he wasn't going to do anything stupid. Some members of the Order of the Phoenix had finally tracked him down here. It didn't really take too much though, Remus had bumped into him there yesterday, and naturally he reported back to Dumbledore, who in turn let everyone else know that Harry was okay.

So here I was. I stood outside the door of his room, hoping that he was still there after bumping into Remus. I took a deep breath and lifted my hand to knock lightly on the door. I waited, I could hear someone moving about in the room but no one came to answer the door. I tried again.

'For Merlin's sake hang on!' It was Harry's voice. I breathed a sigh of relief, so he hadn't run away again yet. Two long seconds went by before Harry opened the door. He looked surprised to see me, and upset.

'Amellina...'

'I had to make sure you were okay Harry, please don't...' I put my foot in the way of the door to stop him closing it on me. 'Harry, no one has heard from you in two weeks, what's going on?' He said nothing. He just opened the door and walked back into the room. I hesitated, wondering whether I should follow him in or anything.

'Are you just going to stand there?'

'Oh, sorry... yeah.' I walked in and closed the door behind me. Harry was sat on a windowsill at the back of the room that looked out across Diagon Alley.

'I'm...' I still didn't know what to say about Sirius. I thought maybe just a simple apology would work. 'I'm uh sorry about Sirius, it must be hard I know.' He didn't look up, just sat at the windowsill.

'How would you know? How would you be able to know a fraction of what I feel?' Harry said. It didn't sound angry, or sad, it sounded blank and numb. That scared me even more. I stood in the middle of the room, shocked and unable to think what to do.

'You'd be surprised.' I answered quietly.

'What?'

'Nothing. It's a stupid question I know but how have you been? We're all worried sick. You just left us, like you hated us or something.'

'I've been better.' Harry seemed to be more open to talking at the moment. Maybe that was all he needed, to talk. With a sigh he continued. 'I don't hate you.' His voice choked a little ' miss him so much. I've just felt so numb ever since I lost him. He was the only family I had left, and the only family I ever really knew. I still can't believe it.'

'No one can. We all expect him to show up any minute laughing the way he used to, smiling and joking around even in the darkest of times.' I was fighting back tears at this point. No one knew anything, least of all Harry, and I couldn't let anything slip now. This was about him not me.

'Wow. Sirius had a bigger impact on people that I thought.' I could see Harry was fighting back tears now too.

Looking more closely at him he looked a mess. I could tell he hadn't slept in days, his usually tousled jet black hair was even messier, his bright green eyes had a dulled shine and puffy, black bags hung beneath them. His face looked thinner, his bones more pronounced as if he hadn't eaten for months. His clothes looked dirty, there was a tear on the arm of his shirt too. He obviously wasn't looking after himself.

I frowned, it was hard to see my best friend in such a way but I had no idea how I could help. It was bad enough trying to get myself through this, without looking out for everyone else too.

'He was... special.' I offered, hoping I wouldn't give anything away.

'Yeah... I miss him so much.' A small tear escaped from his eye, but he wiped it away fiercely, hoping that I wouldn't see I guess. He looked out of the window down into Diagon Alley. 'Look at them all. Just getting on with life. I envy them. I want to be them. Just wandering care free. They haven't lost everything. And they don't have to worry that their days are numbered.'

'Harry, we will help you. You're not going to die. He is. If only one of you can survive then it's going to be you.' Harry turned away from the window to look up at me. I could see he really wanted to believe me. I really wanted to believe me too. But we both had doubts, though neither of us voiced these doubts.

'Am... I...' He stumbled over his words, carefully trying to pick the right ones to say. 'Thank you.' His smile seemed almost genuine. I noticed a small black box on the windowsill too.

'Hey, what's in there?' I asked as I sat on the other end of the windowsill.

'Some of Sirius' stuff, it's not much. Mainly letters and small possessions, I haven't really looked through them. I'm trying to work up the courage.'

'Well, how about we both look now, I'll act as moral support.' I offered, smiling at him. He half smiled back and looked back down at the box.

'I guess I could use the moral support.' He heaved a deep breath then said 'come on then Am, let's do this.' And for the first time since the Department of Mysteries, Harry laughed. It was only a slight chuckle, but it was something.

When Harry opened the box I realised it had been an understatement when he'd said it wasn't much. The box was full to the brim with old pictures, letters and little trinkets. All memories I guessed. Harry pulled out the stack of pictures and we began to look through them.

'He's showed me this picture before.' Harry murmured. 'Before we got on the train at the start of last year. It's a picture of the original Order of the Phoenix. Most of the members are in this new Order too. Look' he pointed to a couple who I recognised immediately. 'There are my parents. And Sirius.' A lump formed in my throat as I saw Sirius smiling back at us and laughing. I looked at all the other familiar faces smiling up at us from the photo, as well as the ones I didn't recognise. It suddenly hit me how many other people had lost their lives for the same cause as Sirius. Was it really worth it?

Harry pulled out the next picture. It was one of his parents, as well Sirius. They all looked so happy and peaceful. There were a few others of the three of them, some others with Remus in them too, but none with Peter. I remembered the fourth Marauder, Wormtail, from our third year. It was then that I had first met Sirius too, well technically. But Peter had been their other friend. Until he had betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort. There were no pictures of him at all in the box. I guess because Peter had framed Sirius, who in turn had spent twelve years in Azkaban, the wizard prison, because of it.

'Here' Harry said handing me one of Remus and Sirius. 'It's obvious he was important to you as well. You can have this one.' I stared at the photo in my hand. Both men looked so happy, but it was Sirius eyes I was drawn to. It was like, even through a photo, he could see right through me. His startling grey eyes boring a hole in my mind, seeing everything in there.

'Thanks... so much Harry.' Harry was looking at a letter at the bottom of the box. 'What is it?' I asked curiously. Harry didn't answer though. He just stared at the letter in disbelief. 'Harry what's wrong?' He looked up at me.

'It's addressed to you.' He said flatly. _Crap!_ I thought. So much for no one knowing. I guessed this gave it away after all. He held the letter out to me.

'You may as well read it.' I shook my head, pushing the letter back to him. 'I guess this means he wanted you to know.'

'Know what Am?' Harry looked at me oddly. 'Am? What the hell are you talking about?'

'Read the damn letter!' I snapped. 'Sorry... But I guess if it's in your box and addressed to me, it probably means he wanted you to find out, so just read it.' Harry nodded slowly and began to open the letter.

'_My Amellina...' _Harry began to read.

'No.' I said firmly. 'I don't want to hear it. I can't... just read it.'

'Okay...' Harry said slowly again, with a questioning look on his face. He begrudgingly accepted my request and continued to read the letter to himself only.

It was a short letter. _Just like Sirius _I thought _short and to the point. _I waited nervously for Harry to finish it. I twisted my auburn hair between my fingers, a nervous habit of mine. It wasn't long before his eyes flicked up to meet mine, a stern look back on his face.

'You mean to say that you, and Sirius... you were going out?' I stammered, not knowing exactly how to explain all of this to him. 'How the hell does that happen?'

'Um...' I wasn't sure what to say. 'Does... does the letter explain what happened at the start of last year?'

'Yes. But...I still don't get how something like this can happen.'

'Trust me... try living with it.'

'Amellina, tell me everything. From the beginning.' I drew a deep breath.

'Well, see for me it all started last October. It was the Halloween half term and...'


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 ****– **_**"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does" **_**– James Baldwin. **

'It was the Halloween half term and I was late meeting Hermione in the Library...

*******

_Crap! Crap crap crap! _I thought to myself as I ran down the corridor to meet Hermione. I glanced at my watch. I was supposed to be in the Library twenty minutes earlier. I noticed a shortcut Harry, Ron and I had used last year when we were sneaking down to the Entrance Hall to make our way to the kitchens. I vaguely remembered it leading off to the Library as well. _Great! Just what I need_ I thought gladly to myself as I scrambled through the portrait hole.

Ten minutes later and I hadn't got anywhere. I decided to go back to where I started. _Maybe that wasn't the right shortcut. _I crawled back out of the portrait hole and made my way to the Library the traditional way.

Hermione was going to be so mad at me. I bent over to pick my bag up off the floor when something fell out from beneath my shirt. It suddenly clicked. My time turner! Professor McGonagall had given it to me at the start of the year so that I could take some extra classes for my NEWTs. I could use it just this once, just to go back in time about half an hour so that I wouldn't be so late meeting Hermione.

No I couldn't... that would be irresponsible. Wouldn't it?

I held the time turner between my thumb and forefinger. No one would have to know. I stood there contemplating this for a while, or at least until some knocked into me. I tried to steady myself, but as the klutz I am I managed to trip over my own feet. I must've hit my head on something on the way down because everything went black and I couldn't hear anything.

'What the...' I groaned pushing myself up off of the floor. I blinked a few times, trying to regain my sight. Everything was just one big blur and I couldn't focus my sight on anything. Then I remembered hitting my head as a sharp, stabbing pain pulsed across the back of my head. I put my hand to it and felt something wet and congealing. It stung to touch it. As I pulled my hand away I saw blood on my fingertips.

'Great...' I rolled my eyes. 'People should really watch where they're going nowadays...'

I looked around, my eyesight slowly sharpening up. It looked like the same corridor I had been in before, but somehow something was different about it. I couldn't tell though. It looked... fresher, younger somehow. I pushed myself up into a sitting position, but my hand pressed down something sharp.

'Ow!' I looked down to see what it was. I picked up the shattered remains of my time turner. _Crap! McGonagall is going to kill me for this! _I picked up all the pieces and took out my wand.

'Reparo' I muttered. Nothing happened. 'Reparo' I said again, louder this time. Why wouldn't it work? I stowed the pieces of time turner in my pocket and decided I'd ask Hermione about it later.

Oh no! Hermione! I must have been out for a while because it was starting to get dark out, she must be worried. What if she went looking for me? I had to get back to the Common Room, perhaps she'd gone back there to look for me.

I tried standing up, but my legs gave way beneath me and I was sent crashing to the floor again, my head spinning from the sudden movement. I decided that sitting down for now would be the best idea. I used all the spells I could think of to clean the blood from the back of my head and to sort out my appearance so that people wouldn't be too worried. Once I was done I leant back against the wall and waited for the nausea to subside.

'Hey, are you alright?' A distant voice asked.

'Arghh... what...?' I groaned in response to that distant voice. I felt some one shake my arm. Not so distant then...

'Hey girl, are you okay? Do you want me to take you to the Hospital Wing?' I opened my eyes, thinking it only polite to do so. As soon as I did my jaw widened with shock. I thought my eyes would pop out of my head.

'Okay...' He said slowly. 'I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing anyway; you look like you've seen a ghost.' And in a way, I had. I shut my mouth and put my eyes back into my head in hopes of appearing more normal as James Potter helped me get to my feet.

'I don't think I've seen you before, are you new to the school?' I couldn't answer. How the hell was James Potter here? Had I hit my head so badly that I was seeing things now? I shook my head, trying to make sense of this strange illusion. But he wouldn't go. He was still there. It was unbelievable how much he looked like Harry. I'd seen pictures but they were nothing compared to this. They had the same messy jet black hair, the same round glasses, and the same lanky body. The only difference was that James' eyes were brown were as Harry's were a startling emerald green. I just stared in disbelief.

'Can you even hear me? Maybe you have some kind of concussion... come on, we should hurry.'

'No... uh no, I can hear you, sorry. I'm just a bit... shocked.'

'I'd say, after a fall like that. No offence, but you look terrible.' I looked up at him, still unsure of what was happening.

'None taken...'

'I'm James by the way. James Potter.' He said with a cheeky sort of smile.

'I kn...' I'd started to say 'I know' but then thought better of it. I didn't really know what was going on here, but I'd imagine that a girl you don't know telling you she knows you might be a bit creepy.

'I'm Amellina' I attempted to smile back at him.

'That's an unusual name. Pretty though, I like it.'

'Thank you. It's the names of my aunts combined together.'

'Ha, well I like it. It suits you Amellina.' He beamed down at me. 'Oh, here we are.' I hadn't even noticed we'd been walking, I was too busy trying to figure out just what was going on right now. I walked into the Hospital Wing expecting to see Madame Pomfrey buzzing around, busy taking care of all of her patients as usual. But instead I was greeted by a much younger woman who I didn't recognise.

'Oh now dear, you seem to have cracked your head very badly, what happened?'

'Um, well I'm not really sure. One minute I was looking at my time turner, some guy knocked into me and I fell. Then I woke up like this in the same spot. Only everything seems different.' Her eyes had widened when I mentioned my time turner.

'Okay dear, I suggest you rest for now, I'll take care of your injuries, don't worry.' She smiled down at me in such a familiar way, even though I'd never seen this woman before. 'Oh, my name is Madame Pomfrey by the way, in case you need to call for me.' _My_ eyes widened this time. Madame Pomfrey was older, more stern and definitely not this caring. Could this really be the same woman? And if it was, why did she look so much younger. What was actually going on?

*******

'So when the time turner smashed it took you back to when my father was in Hogwarts?'

'Well it must have spun before it smashed, I probably knocked it when I fell.' Harry eyed me suspiciously. I didn't expect anything less, the story must have sounded completely farfetched.

'So... if you went back in time, how come we never missed any time without you?'

'Dumbledore managed to return me back to the same moment in time that I had left, and in the same... condition I had been in when I left. It would have freaked most people out to see how much I had aged by the time I got back.'

'Aged?' Harry asked curiously. 'Exactly how long were you there for?'

'Dumbledore managed to find a way back for me, as I said, but it took a while to figure out the exacts, a way to get me back to the precise moment in time, and a way to get me back looking the way I had when I left. I was there from fifth year until the end of seventh year.'

'So that's how you met...'

'Shh Harry! Let me carry on with the story!' At least this was distracting him momentarily from everything that had happened over the past few weeks.

*******

'Amellina, is it?' Dumbledore sat down on the end of my hospital bed. My mouth opened wide with shock again. This definitely was Dumbledore, I could tell that much, but this was Dumbledore at least 20 years younger. Something strange was definitely going on here.

'Yes, it is. Sir, um what's actually happening here?' I asked tentatively

'Amellina, it seems that when you fell, back in 1995, your time turner must have turned before it smashed.'

'Wait... you mean this isn't 1995? What year is it?' My heart started to beat faster as panic started to set in.

'It is 1975.' My jaw dropped yet again.

'1975? 1975! How... no, that can't be right. No, you have to tell me the truth, what's going on Sir?'

'Amellina' He said in his usual calm voice. 'I am telling you the truth. It is 1975. When you fell you're time turner brought you back here. Unfortunately, as you know, it was damaged during your fall as well and this, obviously, means that we are unable to send you back right away.' He looked at me over the top of his glasses and I understood immediately what he meant.

'How long?' I asked slowly.

'We cannot be sure. It could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few years. For now we will introduce as a transfer to the school and you will continue where you left off before. What house and year were you in?'

'Gryffindor, Fifth year.' I answered almost robotically while I tried to digest all this information. So that really had been James Potter earlier, and it was Madame Pomfrey only she was younger now, and that would explain Dumbeldore's apparent youth also. All this new information churned over in my head as I tried to process it all. I suddenly started to feel hot and dizzy. I reached for the glass of water that had been placed by my bed earlier. I found it hard to focus on the glass and I dropped, shattering glass and water all over the floor. My breathing got faster and I felt the blood rush to my head. All of a sudden I was yet again blind and deaf.

I woke up a few hours later it seemed for it was pitch black outside as the moon shone through the windows in the Hospital Wing. I looked around and saw a note on the table by my bed. I reached for it and read it. My eyes were refusing to cooperate but I eventually managed to make sense of what was written on the piece of parchment.

Amellina,

You have been placed into Gryffindor house just as before, I trust you know where the common room is, they never have, and never will change location. The password is, ironically enough, 'Time Turner'.

Your lesson time table will be delivered to you at breakfast tomorrow by Professor McGonagall.

I wish you well, and hope you recover.

Albus Dumbledore.

I brushed my hair out of my face, trying to remember everything that had happened. Unfortunately what I remembered hadn't been a dream. I had woken up in the same Hospital Wing that had looked only slightly different to me. I had woken up, still stuck in 1975. I sighed, careful not to let myself faint again. It didn't take much to overwhelm me and this was more than enough.

With Madame Pomfrey's permission I went up to the Gryffindor Common Room to have a shower and to put away the few things I had with me. Which was my bag and that was it. I walked into the girls dormitory to find a spare bed with a new set of robes, books and other supplies that I needed lying on top of the bed.

I took a quick shower and put on my new robes, which were actually about 20 years out of style. I contemplated getting a proper sleep in my bed but my stomach thought better of that. I traipsed instead, down to the Great Hall to get some breakfast and to wait for my time table from Professor McGonagall.

'Amellina?' Someone asked. 'That is right isn't it? Amellina?' I looked up to see James Potter sitting across the table from me, helping himself to a piece of toast.

'Yes, uh yeah it is.'

'Hi, how are you feeling?'

'Much better, thank you for helping me yesterday James.'

'Good memory.' He laughed. 'I'm surprised you could remember my name after a fall like that.'

'What can I say, I'm just that good.' I joked.

'So you're in Gryffindor I see, good good. What year?'

'I'm in fifth year.'

'Oh us too! Oh sorry, introductions are needed aren't they.' I suddenly realised that three other boys had sat down around us. _I really don't need introductions..._ I thought to myself as I recognised the faces. Two of which I'd spent so much of my summer with before going back to Hogwarts.

'This here's Peter.' He put his hand on the shoulder of quite a dumpy looking boy. He looked nothing like the other three. He was the only one I hadn't recognised. He was short, rather podgy, and had a squashed look face. As if he'd got it stuck in a door once and it'd stayed that way. I suddenly realised what Peter would become. My eyes narrowed at the thought of him betraying his best friends who sat besides us.

'And this is Remus.' I smiled into the once again familiar, but younger, face of Remus Lupin. He smiled back at me, in much the same way he would now. I never realised how handsome Remus had been when he was younger. He had sandy blonde hair that fell into his eyes, not in a messy way like James' but in a rather sophisticated way. He was tall and thin, his face was all cheekbones but still looked really kind.

'And last but not least we have Sirius.' James finished. I turned to see the boy sat next to me. I was startled by how good looking he was. He had dazzling grey eyes, gorgeous brown hair that was long but not too long. His face was all cheekbones and angles, he was tall and had a very athletic build, a swimmers body from what I could tell. But my eyes were glued to his. It was as if he were unwrapping every layer of me mentally and seeing all my darkest secrets. I sat there transfixed by his stare, there was something so intense about it that I just couldn't look away.

'And boys, this is Amellina.' James said to them. I still just sat there staring into Sirius' eyes.

'Hey...' I managed to get out eventually, tearing my eyes away from Sirius'. I could still feel his boring into my head, trying to see into me.

I turned to look back at Sirius. He smiled at me, a cheeky smile, like the one I'd seen so many times before. But this time, there was something just so slightly different. As if it was meant for me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**** – **_**"What's meant to be will always find a way" **_**- Trisha Yearwood.**

It was hard adjusting to my new surroundings. I mean, I had to try and fit in all over again. What were my friends going to think when I didn't show up the next day? Because I was stuck in the 70's!

This was like something out of a dream, I kept trying to wake up but I couldn't. It was hard to believe that I was actually in 1975, going to school with my best friend's parents and Godfather, one of my old teachers, and the guy who ruined all their lives.

I tried to be civil to Peter. I couldn't tell anyone what was going to happen. It sounds like something out of that muggle show, _Star Trek_ or something? But I could disrupt the time continuum if I told them, or even did anything. Dumbledore had explained all of this to me the day after I'd arrived there. Although I couldn't tell him anything either in case I changed time and thousands of people were never born or aliens landed on earth or something. But if I did something even so little that could change what happens in time, I might change it so that even I was never born.

Okay so it was a little more _Back to the Future_ than _Star Trek_ but still. One of the great things about having a muggle-born friend like Hermione was that you had all these muggle references that no one else understood.

Anyway, back to the Peter situation. I kept thinking to myself _If I do something now, if I managed to do something that would stop him from betraying his friends, if I told James and Lily about it..._ But I couldn't do that. Not only because I might kill a thousand future kids, but because at the moment in time that I had gone back to, in James and Lily's fifth year, they weren't together. In fact, Lily hated James' guts. It was hard to believe that they would end up as in love as I had heard they were, from the stories we had been told by people like Hagrid and some of the teachers. It was hard to believe that these two people would end up married with Harry as a kid.

I'd seen Lily once during my first day, I had a Potions lesson in the morning with all the Gryffindor 5th years. It was weird being taught Potions by a different teacher, and having my Potions teacher sitting in the class with me, learning the same thing I was learning. James had gone straight up to this fairly pretty girl with this gorgeous bright red hair and sparkling green eyes. I knew her by her eyes. They were the same as Harry's, I knew this was Lily. James said something to her, though I hadn't heard exactly what he said she must have taken offense because she scoffed at him and told him to go and find someone else to harass. Then James had come back to our table looking rather dejected. I felt kind of sorry for him really. I was sat with the guys as so far, they're the only friends I have in this decade.

Then I remembered. Lily and James were fifteen now, in their fifth year at Hogwarts, with so much to live for. But they were going to die in six years. And it was all going to be Peter's fault. There was nothing I could do to stop it either...

'Amellina?' I barely heard the voice calling my name as I was so lost in my thoughts. 'Hey, Amellina, are you alright?' I looked up to see Sirius sat next to me.

'What, oh yeah, yeah I'm fine. I was just thinking about some... stuff.' I answered, snapping out of my thoughts.

'Ah okay, how are you finding your first day?' He reached over me to grab a jug of pumpkin juice. His aftershave smelt so good. Okay, no that's wrong. This was Sirius Black, my best friends Godfather. Just... no.

'Um, different.' I admitted. 'It's kind of like a dream that I can't wake up from, you know? It just seems so... surreal.' Though he had no idea just how surreal it really felt for me being here.

'Yeah, I guess it must be weird not knowing anyone or having to find your way around a totally new place.' How wrong he was.

'Yeah, I guess I'll get used to it.' I said.

I noticed that as every girl walked past the table they all stared straight at Sirius. Had Sirius been a player back in the day? I couldn't imagine him that way. I mean the Sirius I knew was so different. Maybe that was because the Sirius I knew was twenty years older but still... It just seemed wrong to think about him that way.

'Hey Padfoot' I chuckled under my breath. I'm sure no one else understood the guys strange nicknames but I knew that they were all animagi, except Remus who was a werewolf, and had given themselves nicknames to match their animagus forms and called themselves _The Marauders. _

'Hey Prongs. Where've you all been? Lunch started ages ago.' Sirius asked as the other three sat down.

'_Someone _got us into trouble in Arithmancy.' Remus answered for James, who tried to look as innocent as possible.

'It was so not my fault.' James protested.

'No, no your wand just happen to slip and set Snape's hair on fire.' Remus spat back.

'Hey, it's a better look on him than grease!' James and Sirius laughed together. I shook my head and went back to my sandwich. The boys argued about everything, it was quite hard to believe that they were such good friends at times.

'So Amellina how's your first day?' James asked me.

'It's... strange. But I kind of like it here.' I answered, smiling.

'That's great. I told you it would be fine.' I smiled at the four boys sat around me.

'Yeah, I'll get settled eventually. I guess it's just the shock of being somewhere so new.'

'Where did you go to school before?' Remus asked me. _Think of something quick, think of something quick!_ I thought to myself, panicking.

'Oh umm... I... my family, we lived in France for a few years, my dad was err... sent there on ministry work.' _Nice lie, Am _I thought. I'd never been that great a liar though, I just hoped they bought my story.

'Oh cool, is he an auror?'

'Yeah, but I never really knew much about what he did. I just had to live with it.' I was getting good at this lying thing.

'So if you were in France did you go to Beauxbatons?' Peter asked. This was the first time I heard him speak, most of the time he just sat there silently, nodding along with what the others were saying. The sound of his voice went through me, like nails on a chalkboard. It was going to be hard keeping my emotions in check, to stop myself from ripping his head off. I had to keep reminding myself of what Dumbledore told me about changing the past and ruining the future. I took a few breaths to calm myself down.

'Yes, I did.'

'One of my cousins went there, did you know her?' he asked me.

'Err... what was her name?'

'Emilie Laroche' I pretended to think about it for a while.

'No, I don't recognise that name sorry.' Peter fell silent again while the rest of us carried on talking.

I turned to find Sirius looking at me again. I froze. I didn't know what it was but I couldn't help but feel weak when he looked at me. I shook my head remembering that this wasn't some amazingly gorgeous guy, but my best friends OLD Godfather. _Remember. He's not fifteen. He's thirty five! _Besides, I couldn't let anything happen anyway in case I did a _Back to the Future_.

'What?' I asked quietly, looking at him questioningly. 'What are you looking at?'

'Nothing.' He answered simply. ' I was just simply admiring the view.' I blushed bright red at this and his behind my hair to hide it, turning my head away from him. Did Sirius really just hit on me? Oh. My. God.

'Amellina why are you blushing?' I could have killed Remus.

'I'm not, I'm just feeling really hot.'

'I'll bet she is.' Sirius said in one of those 'you know what I really mean' kind of tones. My mouth hung open in shock. However much I was attracted to younger Sirius I still couldn't believe he was hitting on me so openly.

'Haha, no I... umm, I just need some fresh air.' I got up and walked quickly out to the grounds. This was getting more surreal by the second. _Even if you really wanted it to, nothing can happen. Nothing! Remember what Dumbledore said? You might mess everything up. _

After lunch I sat down in my Transfiguration class at an empty table towards the back. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have to sit by anyone. Lying all the time was starting to get hard. I wish I could just tell people the truth. That or I wish I could find away to get back home. I got my books and my wand out and spread them over the desk in an attempt to keep the desk all to myself.

'Alright class' Professor McGonagall called from the front of the class. 'Today we will be transfiguring these pocket watches into small birds. The charm you will need to know to perform this is...'

'Sorry I'm late Professor.' Someone interrupted as they burst through the door.

'Miss Evans, this is unlike you, I suspect you have a perfectly good explanation for your lateness.'

'I had a meeting with Professor Dumbledore, Professor, unfortunately a few prefects were late and the meeting ran over.'

'That's fine Miss Evans, I'm afraid the only seat left is by Miss... Err... Miss, I'm so sorry I don't know you're name, are you new?' She turned her attention to me.

'Oh yes, I just transferred. My name is Amellina, Amellina Gredeson.' I answered in a small voice. I was very much aware that everyone in the room was staring right at me. I shifted awkwardly in my seat.

'Oh okay, well, Miss Evans if you'd like to take a seat by Miss Gredeson then. As I was saying, the charm you'll need in order to transfigure your pocket watches is _Avifors_. You will need...' she continued.

'Hey I'm Lily.' I looked up to see Lily sitting next to me just as McGonagall had told her to. 'You said your name was Amellina?' she whispered.

'Yeah, hey' I whispered back.

'It's a pretty name'

'Thanks, my mother mixed my aunts names together to make mine.'

'That's cool. I'm just named after a stupid flower. I don't even like Lilies.' She laughed quietly. I chucked too, just to humour her.

'Okay, now in your pairs I would like for you to take the pocket watches in front of you and to try this spell yourself.'

I looked down at the table and saw two pocket watches appear in front of us.

'You're going to have to help me with this. I was never that good at Transfiguration.' I admitted to Lily.

'Haha, neither am I, but don't worry, it's just practice I find.' I looked at her curiously. I thought she was meant to be the brightest witch of her year. People either exaggerated or she was very modest.

'That was a fun lesson. I'm sorry my pocket watch attacked you though.' I said sympathetically to Lily who nursing a cut on her arm.

'Don't worry. You did quite well, I think you were being modest when you said you weren't good at Transfiguration.'

'So were you, you got that spell down in one!'

'Fluke I guess, I'll see you later anyway?'

'Yeah, okay.' I said as I walked off. I really liked Lily, she was a laugh and I got on with her really well. She wasn't as bad as I had thought after seeing the way she was with James earlier in the day.

I walked up to where James, Sirius and Remus were stood and greeted them, only to have James staring at me bewilderedly.

'Is there something in my hair?' I asked nonchalantly with a small laugh.

'You're friends with Lily Evans?' His words were rushed and excited.

'Uh, well kind of, she's nice.'

'I don't care, but you're friends with her right?' I looked to Sirius and Remus for help, but they just shrugged at me.

'Well I guess...'

'So you can tell her good things about me and get her to like me' He had me by the shoulders now, shaking me with every word he said.

'Oh my God Potter...' I said laughing at him. 'You're ridiculous.' Sirius and James started laughing with me whilst James stood there pouting.

'Oh God, fine James' I laughed. 'I'll try and drop some hints for you!'

'I love you!' James grabbed me up in a huge hug, making Sirius and Remus laugh even harder at him.

'Um James? Can't breathe!'

*******

'So you were friends with both my parents?'

'Don't remind me Harry, all this year I've felt so guilty that I got to spend three years with them when you had your time with them taken away from you. If I could change it so it was you that got sent back instead of me I would.'

'No I'm not mad. It's nice to have more stories to hear about them. In a way it's like I get more time with them just by hearing about them.' Harry looked at me, a certain shine starting to come back in his eye. Maybe this was what he needed, maybe the reason for me being sent back was so that I could help Harry as well. I didn't know for sure, but what I did know was that it was doing good.

'What were they like, I want to know everything.' He asked excitedly.

'Well if you stop interrupting so much and let me tell the story then you'll know!' I laughed at him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**** – **_**"A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway."**_** –Fr. Jerome Cummings.**

I sat outside in the grounds on my own. It was a Saturday, my first weekend here at Hogwarts in the 70's. I usually spent Saturdays with Harry, Ron and Hermione in the grounds or up in the Common Room. I wrapped my arms around my knees and rested my head upon them. I thought I would be able to do this, I thought it would have been just a few days, maybe weeks and then I would be able to go back. But Dumbledore had come to me earlier that day with some bad news.

'I am afraid that it is going to take longer than expected for us to be able to get you home. For now, I would suggest that you get settled here, you may have a long wait. I understand that you have already made good friends with Mr. Potter?' I nodded my head in response. I was unable to say anything, I was just in total shock.

'Miss Gredeson, is there anything the matter?' I looked up into the far too young face of my headmaster.

'How long?' I managed to choke out eventually. 'How long am I going to be here?' He sighed and looked down at the floor. 'How long sir?' I asked again.

'There is a lot of research for us to do. Not to mention having to find you a new time turner. They're rare you know, there aren't many around.'

'That wasn't my question.' Tears started to form in my eyes, I blinked them away not wanting him to see me cry.

'It could be as long as a year.' He said quietly, finally meeting my eyes. I stared at him in horror.

'A year? Are you serious.' I shrieked. He motioned for me to lower my voice, I looked at the floor, my cheeks growing red with embarrassment. 'A whole year?' I asked again, quietly this time.

'It could be longer...' Words failed me. I stared at him in total shock and disbelief. How was I meant to stay here that long. What would my friends think.

'Obviously' Dumbledore began to say slowly. 'The advantage of you being here in the past is that we will now have advanced warning of this for your future.' He seemed to be reading my mind. 'There is no doubt that your friends will be worried about you, but I will already know what has happened to you and will be able to make up a perfectly good explanation for them to keep their worries at bay. I will of course be expecting this in the future, so there will have been plenty of time for me to plan for that day.' I stared at a dark smudge on the floor unable to believe what I was hearing. I know he was trying to reassure me but I still couldn't believe that I might be stuck here for a year or more!

I sat on a rock by the lake and skipped stones. I couldn't believe it was going to be that long. It was horrible here. Well, no, it wasn't horrible but I didn't really fit in with anyone properly. I was quite friendly with James and Sirius, and I was starting to talk more with Remus. It was so weird getting know these people all over again. Anyway, so I was kind of friends with them, and I talked to Lily a bit more after that Transfiguration lesson but I didn't really fit anywhere. I just didn't seem to fit in with people. I've always felt that. I'd start to fit in and then something would happen and I would freak out wondering whether they liked me or if they were really my friends or not. I would wig out completely and just get so paranoid. I've never been the best for controlling paranoia but I still just felt like everyone was out to get me or they had a different agenda or that they only spoke to me out of sympathy.

But this time it was different. I wasn't wigging, I honestly didn't fit anywhere. Not properly anyway.

'What are you doing?' A voice came from behind me sounding suspicious. I jumped and turned around to see Remus stood behind me.

'Oh, Merlin you scared me. Um I'm just thinking... you know, about stuff.'

'Are you feeling homesick? I mean we're a long way from France right here.' I looked at him, confused, before realising my lie about living in France.

'Oh... uh yeah kinda, it's hard you know, meeting new people, trying to get used to a totally new place, having to fit in all over again.'

'Trust me' he scoffed. 'You'll never have to try and fit in' I looked at him questioningly. 'You're the talk of the school. You're shiny and new, no one here knows you and that makes them curious. They want to get to know you and be your friend. The guys all think you're hot and the girls all envy you. Trust me, you could have anything you wanted. You don't have to worry about fitting in with them because they want to fit in with you.' I stared at him open mouthed. Did people actually think this?

'You're lying.' I laughed at him. 'I've never fit in anywhere, not in Beauxbatons, well not really, and I don't seem to fit in here. You, James, Sirius and Lily are the only people who have really talked to me, everyone else just looks at me like I'm an alien.'

'Amellina, we've all known each other since first year, the only new people we see are the first years that come in every year. You're the first new person who is our age that we've seen in five years. People are intimidated by you.'

'No they're not, how could they be, I'm just... me. I've always been just me.'

'You're new. Everyone wants to see what you'll do and what you like and they want you to mess up. They don't want this perfect person coming and stealing all their thunder, they want you to be just another person.'

'But I _am _just another person.'

'Well until they see that, you're going to have to live with this. Just be thankful that there are some sane people here like James, Sirius and Lily and anyone else who's had the courage to talk to you.'

'Uh... thanks. Thanks' I stuttered. We sat in silence for a bit while I carried on skipping stones. One thing he said kept playing over and over in my head, something I just couldn't get over. I looked at him curiously and asked.

'Do guys really think I'm hot?' He laughed a bit at this comment. I blushed a little and hoped I didn't sound weird.

'Ha, well if Sirius and James are anything to go by then yes. Everyone does. Whoever the Marauders like are usually who everyone else secretly wishes they were with or thinks are hot.'

'Sirius and James?' I asked nervously. This was beyond weird.

'Yeah you should hear them. In the dormitory they constantly comment on how hot you are. They have a bet who can kiss you first.' I secretly gagged at this thought. No matter how hot young Sirius and young James were it just wasn't right to think about Sirius Black, 30something member of the Order and James Potter, deceased... father of my best friend like that.

'Oh... um, okay...' I guess my facial expression said everything because Remus looked at me with an amused expression.

'Yep...' He began. 'They really are going to go through with it. A Marauder never backs down from a bet.' He laughed at me when I looked at him with wide eyes and what must have been a scared expression.

'You're not in on this bet are you?' I asked him.

'No, I don't gamble. But if I did...' I shifted away from him a little. 'Don't worry' He laughed, noticing my small movement. 'I won't do anything, I was just kidding. It's Padfoot and Prongs you have to watch for.' I laughed at their nicknames. Remus didn't know that I knew what they meant and just assumed that I thought they were funny names.

'Thanks, I'll make a note to avoid being alone with either of them' We both laughed. 'It's getting kind of cold. I'm going up to the Common Room.' I said standing up.

'Okay, I guess it is kinda dark too.' I looked round at him, wondering why he was still sat there.

'Are you not coming too?'

'No, I... have to go visit my great aunt tonight. I go see her every month, she's really sick.' I eyed him suspiciously.

'Oookay, well I'll see you tomorrow?'

'Yeah, sure.' He smiled up at me as I began to walk up towards the castle. I stopped and turned back.

'Remus? I just want to say thanks.'

'For what?'

'For talking to me, for being nice, for helping me feel better. I guess that's all I really need. A friend.'

'Well if you ever need a friend again, just look here.'

'Thanks Remus.' I smiled and walked back up to the castle. As I turned back I noticed a full moon hanging above the lake.

'Great aunt my arse' I muttered under my breath and stifled a small laugh.

*******

'I always knew Remus was the kind one.' Harry said.

'Yeah he always was kind. When he was teaching us in third year... Oh... Oh Merlin!' I got up and walked to the other side of the room and began to pace, thinking hard about what I had just figured out.

'What... Ammy? What is it?' I looked back over at Harry having almost completely forgotten he was in the room.

'If I got sent back... and I knew Remus when he was in school... does that...'

'Remus already knew who you were! And Sirius, and Snape and Dumbledore... everyone! They all knew who you were already!'

'No wonder... I mean the first time I met Sirius he gave me this really weird look, like he knew me. And so did Remus when we were in the compartment on the Express... the night the Dementors attacked you on the train Harry! When Remus woke up he looked at me really puzzled. They all knew who I was when I didn't even know that I'd met them before!' I went back over to the window ledge where Harry was still sat.

'But... did they expect to know you?' I looked at him with a puzzled expression. 'I mean, did they know what happened.'

'Yeah... I told them eventually. I guess just seeing it for real must have been a shock or something.' I shook my head. 'I still can't believe it. All this time they knew who I was and I didn't know them. Oh my Hippogriff! No wonder Sirius acted weird all summer last year...'

'That must have been hard for him.'

'I know... what with everything that happened back then and not being able to talk to me about any of it when he had the chance.' I said quietly sitting down on the ledge. A small knot began to form in my throat as I remembered all the times he could have talked to me about in the summer. 'I mean when I got back we had little less than a year together, and even then we couldn't... I mean it would have been wrong.' I choked out.

'Plus there was Alex' Harry pointed out.

'We broke up just after I got back though remember, around Halloween.' Alex had been my boyfriend since the end of third year. 'When I got back nothing was the same anymore, obviously. Well not for me anyway, not even what I had with Alex, so I ended it with him. Just after everything with Sirius...'

'That reminds me Am, you still haven't told me how you and Sirius got together.' I laughed a little. I liked seeing Harry excited again. It had been such a long time since I'd seen that side of him. In all honesty he'd been off with us all since the end of fourth year. I was glad Harry was starting to come back.'

'I'm getting to that part idiot!' I punched him playfully in the arm and laughed as he nursed his arm. 'Three years of stories is going to take a long time. Plus it would go a lot quicker if we stopped getting side tracked.'

We both sat there laughing a bit, it was good to laugh with Harry again.

'Okay, okay' I said getting my breath back. 'So after I had my talk with Remus I went back up to the Common Room...'

*******

'Hey Am! Come and sit over here.' Lily called to me as I crawled through the portrait hole.

'Hi' I said, a little shocked that she was showing so much willing.

'This is Alice.' Lily said pointing to a brunette girl who was fairly pretty, but nothing really special. She wore her hair up and had glasses. She could have looked like a complete nerd but the fact that she was really pretty worked for her. Plus she kinda rocked the look. 'And Emmy.' Lily pointed to the other girl. She was stunning and blonde. She was the kind of girl who would always be the prettiest girl you ever saw close up yet she had turned out to also be one of the nicest.

'So we were just talking.' Lily started, talking directly at me. 'The Halloween ball is coming up next week.' They had a Halloween ball? We never got one in the future... Lucky.

'Oh, is it? We never had Halloween balls at Beauxbatons.' I said shakily.

'Yeah, and we were wondering who you're going with. Has anyone asked you?'

'Um, no I hadn't heard anything about it until now.'

'Well you'll get asked soon.' Emmy piped up. 'Seriously, pretty much the entire year is lined up to ask you already.'

'Really? Why?'

'Have you seen yourself in a mirror.' Emmy laughed. How could someone as gorgeous as her possibly be saying that I was also gorgeous...

'Uh well, I don't know yet' I looked at the floor blushing. All this attention was way too much for me.

'Ha well you better figure out soon. The balls in a few days.'


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**** –**_**"Sometimes the one thing you are looking for is the one thing you can't see."**_** – Anonymous**

'So did you go to the ball with Sirius?' Harry asked me as I looked out of the window down at the people walking about Diagon Alley.

'Huh what? Sorry I was miles away.'

'You said that there was a Halloween ball, did you go with Sirius? Is that how you started going out? We don't get a ball now... Why don't we get a ball? I want a Halloween Ball...' Harry asked, excitement starting to show in his eyes.

'Oh shut up Harry' I laughed at him. 'Let me carry on the story!'

*******

I was walking down the corridor to my Transfiguration lesson when I found myself in darkness.

'Guess who' Someone said from behind me. I laughed, recognising his voice immediately.

'James... you're a loser.'

'Hey! I am so not' He protested, removing his hands from over my eyes.

'What do you want _loser_?' I laughed as he pretended to look hurt.

'Why would you immediately assume that I would want something from you?'

'Oh let's see, because you're jumping up and down like an erratic idiot maybe'

'Okay, okay fine you're right.' He sighed.

'What is it?'

'So... um I was wondering... You know the ball is in a few days, I was thinking...'

'You were thinking that you want me to ask Lily if she would like to go with you?'

'Am I that predictable?' He feigned shock.

'Oh so transparent' I laughed.

'Hey shut up' It was my turn to mock hurt. 'So will you talk to her?'

'I guess I can suggest it to her in conversation over lunch or something' I sighed.

'Thank you!! You're seriously like one of the best friends ever!' He grabbed me up in a huge bear hug so tight I could hardly breath.

'Hey I thought I was your best friend!' A voice came from behind us.

'Hey Sirius' James said. 'Don't worry, I still love you...in a manly, muscle, completely non-gay type of way.' He hastened to add. I laughed as the two looked at each other awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot.

'Oh Merlin! You two have so shared a gay kiss or two. Come on! I know you have, even if you were just 'experimenting' They both grew red in the cheeks. 'I knew it!'

'It was just once, and we were very very VERY drunk!' James hissed at me.

'Some of the older guys smuggled some fire whiskey in one night and we had a bit more than we should have and it was a totally one off drunk thing that would never ever ever happen if we were sober. NEVER' Sirius added.

'But it was quite a good kiss...' James whispered.

'Dude! SHUT UP!' Sirius yelled back at him.

'Sure' I stood there laughing at the two of them, who were turning redder by the second. Tears were streaming down my face as I laughed hard at the image of the two of them making out.

'Do you ever stop laughing?' Sirius said coldly to me.

'Yes' I finally managed to say. 'But only to do this.' I linked both of their arms and marched them down the corridor by my side.

'Hear ye hear ye! I proudly introduce Hogwarts hottest couple this season, James Potter and Sirius Black! May their lives be merry and... gay!'

I walked into Transfiguration rubbing both of my sore arms, feeling sorry for myself.

'What happened?' Lily asked as I sat down next to her.

'Potter and Black may have slightly hit me...' Her eyes widened in shock.

'They hit a girl?!' I looked at her sheepishly.

'I may have... slightly deserved it.' I looked down at the desk, trying to keep up the appearance of innocence. Somehow I didn't think it was working. Lily raised her eyebrow at me.

'What did you do to them?'

'Why do you immediately assume I did something?' I pretended to look shocked at her assumption. She just raised her eyebrow again and sighed.

'Trust you Am, you're such a troublemaker...' she let out a little laugh to show that she was just messing around.

Her questions were answered then as Sirius and James walked into the room to a class full of 'aww' and 'look at the cute couple!'

'Amellina! You didn't?!'

'I may have... only slightly.' I laughed as James and Sirius sat down in front of me and turned around to give me stony, cold glares. I couldn't help myself, I burst out laughing right in their faces and everyone turned to look at me like I was some crazy person.

'Calm down class...' Luckily for me Professor McGonagall interrupted us and began the lesson.

'Psst' James turned to look at me and nodded in Lily's direction. Getting the hint I sighed and turned to her.

'So you were saying there's a ball in a few days?'

'Yeah, we have one every year at Halloween. Has anyone asked you yet?' She whispered back to me.

'No, you?'

'No, not yet, I'm hoping someone does. But then again, I don't mind going alone if I have to.'

'You'll get asked I'm sure. Anyway, I heard there's someone who's thinking of asking you?'

'Oh, yeah? Who?' Her eyes lit up in excitement. I flicked my eyes over towards James' back.

'Potter?' She gasped. 'No way!'

'I know, he's Uhh... pretty hot right?' I didn't sound convincing at all.

'Oh Merlin no! I'd rather go with Pratchett than Potter!' I'd learned that Pratchett was the greasiest, nerdiest boy in the entire year. His hair was even greasier than Snape's for Godrick's sake!

'Oh... right.'

'Don't... you're not going to say anything are you?' She looked at me through squinted eyes. I looked over toward James who turned around and winked at me. I smiled back nervously.

'Of course not.' I mumbled. How was I going to break this to him. _You don't _the little voice piped up. _You just wait for him to forget or just ask her himself. _I sighed, I was starting to get annoyed with the little voice now. It was always right. No matter how much I didn't want to be mean to him like that, it was still right.

'What did she say?' James came running up to me at lunch. 'Did she say yes?' I looked round nervously, trying to find a way out of this.

'Oh, I have to go pick something up. In the library. I umm... left my uhh... skirt in the library.' James gave me a puzzled look as I pushed past him, in the opposite direction to the library.

'What's that about?' Sirius asked me as he caught me in my rush. His hands stayed on my arms longer than I would have liked, given that I still couldn't get the image of old Sirius out of my head.

'What?'

'You, running away from James like that?' He nodded to where James had been standing before I ran off.

'Oh... I forgot something in the library.'

'But the library's over that way'

'I know... detour.' I lied quickly. Which was good for me, seeing as I can never lie to save my life. Sirius arched an eyebrow at me.

'Okay, I'm avoiding him' I sighed. 'He asked me to see whether Lily would be interested in going to the ball with him and she said no. Putting it nicely anyway.'

'Idiot' Sirius breathed. 'He knows she's not interested but he never gives up. He should learn by now.'

'Yeah but at least that shows he's really interested. I can't believe it's so hard for her to see that. If he wasn't he would have given up by now right?'

'Right' He agreed. 'Come. Lets walk' Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. Why did Sirius want to walk with me? I agreed anyway.

'What kind of an idiot are you Sirius Black?' I laughed as we stepped outside.

'What do you mean?' He pretended to look a little hurt at my comment.

'I mean, you must be a total idiot to decide to go for a walk outside in the middle of October when it's freezing cold and almost snowing!'

'Well, it's more private.'

'Why do we need private?'

'I just have something I want to say.' I looked at him curiously. 'Not yet. We're not there yet.'

'Okay, can I know where we're going exactly though?'

'Nope' He smiled at me mischievously. I punched him lightly on the arm, though lost my footing and slipped in the wet grass.

'Watch yourself. And you call me an idiot?' Sirius laughed his bark like laugh as he steadied me from falling.

'Shut up!' I whined. 'We better be going somewhere close, I'm frozen. You know you could have told me we were going outside, I could have got a jacket.'

'Oh stop moaning.' I pouted at him. 'Ergh! Fine, take my jacket. It's not far.' I put his jacket on and wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm. As I cuddled into the warmth of his jacket I smelt something so familiar. I couldn't quite figure what it was but it smelt so much like home. I suddenly felt a pang, like I'd been punched right in the stomach. I couldn't believe I'd been gone so long. I wondered what everyone would be up to. Would they notice I was gone? They had to right? It'd been almost three weeks since I disappeared.

'What are you thinking about?' Sirius asked, his eyes looked worried.

'Oh, I'm just missing home a bit, my friends and family, all that stuff you know.'

'Not really.' He admitted. 'I could live without my family and I always have my friends with me. I guess I'm lucky. It must be horrible not to have anyone with you.'

'Yeah it is. I miss my friends so much.'

'Are we not your friends?' He pouted at me with such a lack of sincerity I couldn't help but laugh.

'Of course! I just mean, my friends from home. It doesn't feel right not being with them and hanging out.'

'You'll see them again one day.'

'Will I?' I looked down at my feet and sighed.

'You won't go home for holidays?'

'Oh! Oh right, yeah I know, I will, I meant I'm not going to see them like I used to. It'll be short visits and only occasionally. You're so lucky to have all your friends here.'

'I know. I don't know what I would do without them, especially James, he's like my brother.'

'I've noticed. It's quite sweet really.'

'Yeah... So speaking of home, did Beauxbatons ever have Halloween balls?' I looked up at him, surprised as why he was bringing up the ball.

'Oh, no they didn't. This is the first school event I'll ever really go to.'

'Really?' He sounded more curious than surprised. 'Well we'll have to make this one amazing.'

'We?'

'Yeah we. You will go to the ball with me won't you? Only...' He leaned in closer to whisper in my ear. 'I haven't been able to stop thinking about you from the first time I laid eyes on you...'

'What...' I looked up at him, bewildered. I know he was gorgeous, and smart – contrary to popular belief – and a really nice guy. I sort of wanted to go with him but there was just one thing putting me off.

This was... once again... Sirius Black! My best friends godfather. Sirius Black for god's sake! And I don't mean the Sirius stood in front of me asking me to the Halloween ball, but the Sirius who was in his thirties... who was... twenty years in the future. Where I should have been!

'Well...' Sirius asked again. 'Amellina, will you go to the ball with me?'

***

'Well...' Harry asked, poking my leg. 'Did you go with him or not?'

'You have seriously got to stop interrupting me!'

'Did you go to the ball with Sirius?'

'Let me finish!' I cried out, though still smiling.

'Fine, continue!'

'Okay, so it was Halloween night, and I was walking into the Great Hall with...'


End file.
